I have fish

rtm3039

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Good day all,

This morning, as I was feeding our family fishes, I started to think about equality. We have about 15 tropical fish in our aquarium. They are all different sizes; with some males, some females, and some preparing to give birth to the next generation. Despite their differences, they are all subject to my decisions. I decide when to feed them and how much to provide for the entire community. They get to decide how much they eat, but all within the confines of what I have provided.

I am not a cruel king, as I do feed them every day and maintain their world in as good a shape as I can. I feed them what I believe is enough, but it's not like I ask them if they are still hungry and made adjustments accordingly.

I came across with what follows. I wanted to post this, as I find the words so wise and appropriate for all of us. Looked at the message, through several translations, but I find the CEV (contemporary English version) to speak to me the best: The highlights (bold type) are mine and intended to highlight specific remarks I found especially wise.

I look forward to the usual wise and thoughtful commentary.

Ecclesiastes 9: 1 – 18 (CEV)

One Day at a Time

1 I thought about these things. Then I understood that God has power over everyone, even those of us who are wise and live right. Anything can happen to any of us, and so we never know if life will be good or bad. 2 But exactly the same thing will finally happen to all of us, whether we live right and respect God or sin and don’t respect God. Yes, the same thing will happen if we offer sacrifices to God or if we don’t, if we keep our promises or break them.

3 It’s terribly unfair for the same thing to happen to each of us. We are mean and foolish while we live, and then we die. 4 As long as we are alive, we still have hope, just as a live dog is better off than a dead lion. 5 We know that we will die, but the dead don’t know a thing. Nothing good will happen to them—they are gone and forgotten. 6 Their loves, their hates, and their jealous feelings have all disappeared with them. They will never again take part in anything that happens on this earth.

7 Be happy and enjoy eating and drinking! God decided long ago that this is what you should do. 8 Dress up, comb your hair, and look your best. 9 Life is short, and you love your wife, so enjoy being with her. This is what you are supposed to do as you struggle through life on this earth. 10 Work hard at whatever you do. You will soon go to the world of the dead, where no one works or thinks or reasons or knows anything.

11 Here is something else I have learned:

The fastest runners
and the greatest heroes
don’t always win races
and battles
.
Wisdom, intelligence, and skill
don’t always make you healthy,
rich, or popular.
We each have our share
of bad luck.

12 None of us know when we might fall victim to a sudden disaster and find ourselves like fish in a net or birds in a trap.

Better To Be Wise than Foolish

13 Once I saw what people really think of wisdom. 14 It happened when a powerful ruler surrounded and attacked a small city where only a few people lived. The enemy army was getting ready to break through the city walls. 15 But the city was saved by the wisdom of a poor person who was soon forgotten. 16 So I decided that wisdom is better than strength. Yet if you are poor, no one pays any attention to you, no matter how smart you are.

17 Words of wisdom spoken softly
make much more sense
than the shouts of a ruler
to a crowd of fools.
18 Wisdom is more powerful
than weapons,
yet one mistake can destroy
all the good you have done.


Have a great day, rtm3039
 
Good day all,

This morning, as I was feeding our family fishes, I started to think about equality. We have about 15 tropical fish in our aquarium. They are all different sizes; with some males, some females, and some preparing to give birth to the next generation. Despite their differences, they are all subject to my decisions. I decide when to feed them and how much to provide for the entire community. They get to decide how much they eat, but all within the confines of what I have provided.

I am not a cruel king, as I do feed them every day and maintain their world in as good a shape as I can. I feed them what I believe is enough, but it's not like I ask them if they are still hungry and made adjustments accordingly.

I came across with what follows. I wanted to post this, as I find the words so wise and appropriate for all of us. Looked at the message, through several translations, but I find the CEV (contemporary English version) to speak to me the best: The highlights (bold type) are mine and intended to highlight specific remarks I found especially wise.

I look forward to the usual wise and thoughtful commentary.

Ecclesiastes 9: 1 – 18 (CEV)

One Day at a Time

1 I thought about these things. Then I understood that God has power over everyone, even those of us who are wise and live right. Anything can happen to any of us, and so we never know if life will be good or bad. 2 But exactly the same thing will finally happen to all of us, whether we live right and respect God or sin and don’t respect God. Yes, the same thing will happen if we offer sacrifices to God or if we don’t, if we keep our promises or break them.

3 It’s terribly unfair for the same thing to happen to each of us. We are mean and foolish while we live, and then we die. 4 As long as we are alive, we still have hope, just as a live dog is better off than a dead lion. 5 We know that we will die, but the dead don’t know a thing. Nothing good will happen to them—they are gone and forgotten. 6 Their loves, their hates, and their jealous feelings have all disappeared with them. They will never again take part in anything that happens on this earth.

7 Be happy and enjoy eating and drinking! God decided long ago that this is what you should do. 8 Dress up, comb your hair, and look your best. 9 Life is short, and you love your wife, so enjoy being with her. This is what you are supposed to do as you struggle through life on this earth. 10 Work hard at whatever you do. You will soon go to the world of the dead, where no one works or thinks or reasons or knows anything.

11 Here is something else I have learned:

The fastest runners
and the greatest heroes
don’t always win races
and battles
.
Wisdom, intelligence, and skill
don’t always make you healthy,
rich, or popular.
We each have our share
of bad luck.

12 None of us know when we might fall victim to a sudden disaster and find ourselves like fish in a net or birds in a trap.

Better To Be Wise than Foolish

13 Once I saw what people really think of wisdom. 14 It happened when a powerful ruler surrounded and attacked a small city where only a few people lived. The enemy army was getting ready to break through the city walls. 15 But the city was saved by the wisdom of a poor person who was soon forgotten. 16 So I decided that wisdom is better than strength. Yet if you are poor, no one pays any attention to you, no matter how smart you are.

17 Words of wisdom spoken softly
make much more sense
than the shouts of a ruler
to a crowd of fools.
18 Wisdom is more powerful
than weapons,
yet one mistake can destroy
all the good you have done.


Have a great day, rtm3039

Ok, I re-read this and wanted to edit the end (OK, the 20 mins are up, so I can't edit. so I will reply). I just never liked ending any thought in the negative. Here is what this all means to me: There but for the grace of God goes anyone of us. I try to make this a point, when I am exposed to one of our brothers/sisters in a place far worse than I. Since tomorrow is promised to no one, I think it would be wise of us to exploit any positive event to its fullest. When God allows us to celebrate the good, we should do our best to see, hear, smell, taste, and touch every event to it s fullest.

Ok, now I feel better
 
Interesting rtm.
Well if we didnt have male and females, we wouldnt have families I suppose. In zoos, if they segregate the animals that means they dont get to breed and mulitply. If one group gets treated better than the other, the rest will have a hard time. You might have a mutiny on your hands.
 
Interesting rtm.
Well if we didnt have male and females, we wouldnt have families I suppose. In zoos, if they segregate the animals that means they dont get to breed and mulitply. If one group gets treated better than the other, the rest will have a hard time. You might have a mutiny on your hands.
Lanolin, I agree, but that really was not the point of my posting. My point was that, regardless of who we are (or what we do), hard times will always come our way. The missed opportunity is not enjoying the moment. I have spent most of my life too focused on the meaningless (mostly work, achievement, and success). At this point, I clearly understand how one "bad moment" can make all of that a worthless focus. I was blessed with a great career, but I still find myself unemployed. My family loved me then and love me now. This is why I have learned, maybe a bit too late, that we should attach our happiness to "things" that can not easily be taken away. As for the rest, they really are meaningless.

rtm3039
 
Lanolin, I agree, but that really was not the point of my posting. My point was that, regardless of who we are (or what we do), hard times will always come our way. The missed opportunity is not enjoying the moment. I have spent most of my life too focused on the meaningless (mostly work, achievement, and success). At this point, I clearly understand how one "bad moment" can make all of that a worthless focus. I was blessed with a great career, but I still find myself unemployed. My family loved me then and love me now. This is why I have learned, maybe a bit too late, that we should attach our happiness to "things" that can not easily be taken away. As for the rest, they really are meaningless.

rtm3039
Oh absolutely, I was just thinking about your fish.
God loves us not matter what good times or bad times we go through He is always there. Wisdom is more precious than any of the material blessings we may enjoy.

What Ive observed in life for nearly four decades I've been on earth (not very long compared to some people) is that people that have a hard time when they are young suffer but they get through it, and they learn to count their blessings. People that have an easy time of it when they are young then arent then prepared for the hard time they will have when they are older. Why because they took their blessings for granted.

Ive observed this amongst the older crowd who complain so much if a leaf is out of place and who swear at you if their furniture gets wet its like the end of the world. Or their soup is too cold or they arent playing the songs they like on the radio. I mean really? They have a roof over their head and they have food and they arent naked and starving. The sun could be shining and they still complain maybe its too bright! Or it rains, but the rains are giving the plants water. Life isnt just about us...its about God.
 
Oh absolutely, I was just thinking about your fish.
God loves us not matter what good times or bad times we go through He is always there. Wisdom is more precious than any of the material blessings we may enjoy.

What Ive observed in life for nearly four decades I've been on earth (not very long compared to some people) is that people that have a hard time when they are young suffer but they get through it, and they learn to count their blessings. People that have an easy time of it when they are young then arent then prepared for the hard time they will have when they are older. Why because they took their blessings for granted.

Ive observed this amongst the older crowd who complain so much if a leaf is out of place and who swear at you if their furniture gets wet its like the end of the world. Or their soup is too cold or they arent playing the songs they like on the radio. I mean really? They have a roof over their head and they have food and they arent naked and starving. The sun could be shining and they still complain maybe its too bright! Or it rains, but the rains are giving the plants water. Life isnt just about us...its about God.
Yes Lanolin, I agree. On Wednesday, I went on one of my job interviews. I had a home to wake up in, breakfast to fill my belly, a new car to get there, and wearing a clean suit. On the way there, I walked by a man who was still sleeping on the sidewalk. Faced with that, how dare I complain (I did not, but it does put things in perspective).

No matter how bad you think things are, there is always someone wishing they were in your place.

rtm3039
 
We cannot tell the future, although we do have ability to make it better. Problems will always come to us as long as there is evil in this world. I say we should trust in God and patiently deal with the issues at hand.
 
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